Tuesday, 1 November 2011

Council chiefs will be asked to bring forward further investment into Kirkgate Market as part of a programme of repair and maintenance works.

At a meeting of Leeds City Council’s executive board this week, councillors will be asked to agree for a further £400,000 to be invested in the market. This money is currently in the reserved Capital Programme and executive board are being asked to release this into the main Capital Programme for the financial year 2012/13.

The £400k will be used to undertake maintenance work on the market. This is in addition to £200k of investment which is already committed to maintenance works on the 1875 and 1904 sections of the market. Work is due to start this week, and will include general roof repairs, replacement of damaged roof glazing and in addition electrical work, improving ventilation within the halls and dealing with water management issues.

Councillor Cllr Gerry Harper, deputy executive member for city development and markets champion, said:

“I hope this further investment from the council will serve to reassure both traders and the public how committed we are to securing the long term future of the market.”

“We are well aware of problems that are affecting the market, and with this money we aim to make much needed repairs and improvements.

“Along with further investment in maintenance at the market our consultants are currently looking into the best way to move the market forward, and we should have the results from them in the near future.”

Completed capital environmental improvements to the value of around £11.5m have been made to Kirkgate Market during the last 12 years. Ongoing routine, planned and reactive maintenance is undertaken each year throughout the indoor market; improvements since 2000 have cost a further £1.4m.

The council has more recently invested almost 500k in business support for traders, and environmental improvements to make the market more attractive and customer-friendly.

Notes to editors:

Kirkgate Market has recently seen an increase in footfall, bucking the national trend. Also a number of new initiatives have been brought to the market to attract new customers.

A new ‘shop and drop’ scheme allowing customers to pick up produce in the morning and collect it after work has been a huge success and has won a national award. Also the market has just received the Leeds Retail Award for ‘Best City Centre Shopping Centre’.

Captions: The giant banner now on display outside Leeds Town Hall, and a still from 'The Artist'which will act as the finale of the festival

The stars will be out in Leeds this week as the cast and director of the latest adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights will be special guests at the gala screening which opens the 25th Leeds International Film Festival.

The much-anticipated new version of the classic novel set in Yorkshire and filmed on the North Yorkshire Moors has overtaken ‘The King’s Speech’ as the fastest-selling film in the history of the festival which this year runs from 3-20 November.

And BAFTA award-winning director Andrea Arnold will be joined by Leeds actor James Howson who plays Heathcliff, Shannon Beer (young Cathy) and Solomon Glave (young Heathcliff) in attending the opening gala screening at Leeds Town Hall on Thursday night.

The gala screening signals the start of the UK’s biggest film festival held outside London, which features over 300 films from around the world shown over 18 days.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the event organised by Leeds City Council, a giant banner featuring an image from Wuthering Heights is now on display covering the front of Leeds Town Hall and will remain in place throughout the festival.

The festival has also secured a late addition to its programme, with an exclusive screening of Oscar-tipped comedy ‘The Artist’ set in 1920s Hollywood starring Malcolm McDowell and John Goodman as the finale to the event at Hyde Park Picture House on Sunday 20 November.

The festival will also feature an appearance by comedian, writer and television star Paul Merton presenting a night devoted to silent film comedy genius at Leeds Town Hall on Wednesday 9 November.

Other highlights include the popular horror-themed Fanomenon Night of the Dead XI which returns on Saturday 5 November at its regular haunt, Hyde Park Picture House. Frights will also be on the menu at Fanomenon Day of the Dead 5 at the reopened City Varieties on Saturday 12 November, with the directors of three of the four films to be shown making guest appearances. It will also feature the UK premiere of ‘Juan of the Dead’, Cuba’s first independently-produced film to be shown outside the country in 50 years.

Comicbooks, graphic novels, gaming and storyboarding are also celebrated with the return of the fifth Thought Bubble Festival at Saviles Hall and Royal Armouries Hall on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 November.

Leeds City Council executive member for leisure Councillor Adam Ogilvie said:

“This year’s Leeds International Film Festival will be a fitting 25th anniversary celebration of a wonderful event and the line-up is packed with must-see films. From Wuthering Heights to Aliens to The Artist there is something for everyone to enjoy so we look forward to another fantastic festival and packed audiences have a great time.”

Director of Leeds International Film Festival Chris Fell said:

“The annual film festival programme is assembled in consultation with Leeds audiences and for the 25th edition we have developed a superb line-up that will appeal to all fans of cinema of every age. The film festival would not be possible without support from our funders and sponsors, and we have a record number of supporting partners in our anniversary year.”

Tickets for the Leeds International Film Festival including Film Festival Passes and the offer of six tickets for the price of five on all screenings are on sale at the City Centre Box Office at The Carriageworks off Millennium Square, over the telephone (0113 224 3801), and online (www.leedsfilm.com).

The 25th Leeds International Film Festival is presented by Leeds City Council and funded by the MEDIA Programme of the European Union, the British Film Institute and Screen Yorkshire.

Notes to editors:

Leeds International Film Festival:

Leeds International Film Festival is the largest regional film event in the UK, showcasing the very best new cinema from around the world. The programme is divided into six sections: Official Selection, featuring new cinema discoveries, exclusive previews, archive specials and the Golden Owl competition; Fanomenon, a unique combination of fantasy film experiences including the Méliès d’Argent competition; Cinema Versa, the film festival’s documentary section focusing on human rights, music, and live collaborations; Short Film City, dedicated to the short film form with UK and international competitions; Cherry Kino, experimental films by contemporary filmmakers as well as works from film history; and Thought Bubble, the UK’s largest comic book convention.Website: www.leedsfilm.com. Facebook: www.facebook.com/LIFF1Twitter: www.twitter.com/LIFF25, #LIFF25.

Tickets:

LIFF25 Passes: Passes for access to all individual screenings at the 25th Leeds International Film Festival 3rd – 20th November 2011 (excluding major events) are available priced at £95 for a single pass, or £170 for a double. Major events including Paul Merton’s Silent Clowns, Fanomenon Night of the Dead XI, Fanomenon Day of the Dead 5 are not included in the LIFF25.

Tickets and film festival passes can be bought in person at City Centre Box Office (The Carriageworks, Millennium Square, Leeds, LS2 3AD), over the telephone (0113 224 3801) and online (www.leedsfilm.com).

Caption: The Roundhay Park Bonfire Night event is one of the biggest in the UK

This Friday night is sure to go with a bang in Leeds as the city celebrates Bonfire Night.

The annual free events will see bonfires and spectacular fireworks displays held at six sites across the city on Friday 4 November to mark the anniversary of Guy Fawkes’ failed 'Gunpowder Plot' to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605.

All six bonfires are organised by Leeds City Council, with the largest bonfire event in the city taking place at Roundhay Park in front of an expected crowd of approximately 70,000 people of all ages.

The event begins at 6pm, with 96.3 Radio Aire’s breakfast show presenters Rich Williams and Naomi Kent together with Magic 828’s Glenn Pinder hosting the show which will feature a performance by local band ‘Domino’ who appeared on The X Factor in 2008, plus the Leeds Rhinos Dancers and Ronnie the Rhino who will be bringing the Superleague trophy with him after the team’s recent Grand Final success. The finale of the show will see the bonfire being lit at 7:30pm followed by the fireworks display at 8pm.

Events will also be happening at Springhead Park in Rothwell (sponsored by Al-Murad Tiles), Middleton Park (sponsored by Land Securities and the White Rose Shopping Centre), East End Park, Woodhouse Moor and Bramley Park with bonfires being lit at 7pm and fireworks starting at 7.30pm.

The bonfire at Middleton Park will be lit by 10-year-old Middleton St Mary's School pupil Logan Murray, who won the prize for his entry in a ‘design a poster competition’ organised by the White Rose Shopping Centre.

Leeds City Council executive member for leisure Councillor Adam Ogilvie said:

“We look forward to another great Bonfire Night in Leeds, with families and people of all ages able to come together for a safe and enjoyable evening. We are very grateful to our sponsors and partners for their fantastic support and hope everyone has a great time.”